Elongated objects such as Christmas trees, flag poles, etc. are often used for holiday and other displays. Many presently available Christmas tree stands utilize a base having four individual threaded rods to engage the tree trunk. Installation of a tree into such a stand typically requires two people: one person to hold the tree, and another to individually tighten the threaded rods against the trunk until the tree is held upright. Given the difficulty and inconvenience of using such a stand, various alternatives have been proposed.
An example of such an alternative is U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,702, which discloses a holding device that is particularly useful for Christmas trees. The holding device includes four rails upon which sliding elements are mounted. The sliding elements include holding elements for engaging a tree trunk. A wire rope extends around the Christmas tree stand, engaging each of the sliding elements in a manner so that, when the wire rope is tightened, the sliding or carriage elements are pulled inward towards the center of the stand. The wire rope is structured to be wound around a roller that is connected to a gear wheel having a plurality of teeth. A spring biased catch is structured to permit rotation of the gear wheel in one direction, and to resist rotation in the other direction until it is pulled away from the gear wheel. A foot pedal is provided, and is structured so that pushing the foot pedal downward towards the base turns the roller in a direction the tightens the wire rope, with the catch and gear wheel holding the roller in place after each press of the foot pedal. Pushing the foot pedal in the opposite direction releases the catch, permitting the sliding elements to move away from the tree trunk. Springs are provided on the sliding elements for this purpose. In an alternative embodiment, the sliding carriages are replaced by pivoting levers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,512 discloses a tree holder. The tree holder includes a horizontal table having downwardly extending feet and a hole defined within its center. A pair of levers are pivotally mounted on either side of the hole. The levers include a lower end that is structured to engage the bottom of a tree trunk, and an upper end that is designed to pivot towards and grip the tree trunk upon the weight of the tree trunk pushing downward on the bottom of the levers. An external, manually operated lever is used to further push the tree retaining levers into the tree to fully secure the tree. Movement of the manually operated lever in the opposite direction releases the tree.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,113 discloses a Christmas tree stand. The Christmas tree stand includes a cylindrical base having four clamping arms pivotally attached around its circumference. A cable surrounds and engages all four clamping arms, so that pulling the cable draws the clamping arms inward. Each of the clamping arms is spring biased outward. The cable is tightened by a clamping device having a roller upon which the cable is wound, and a toothed wheel attached to the roller. A foot pedal is used to rotate the roller and toothed wheel. A release bar that is biased towards the toothed wheel by a tension spring is attached to the foot pedal, engaging the toothed wheel unless it is manually pushed away from the toothed wheel. Operation of the foot pedal turns the roller, incrementally tightening the cable, pulling the arms inward. When one of the arms contacts the tree trunk, it will stop, but the other arms will continue to be pulled inward until they contact the tree trunk as well. The tree is then held in place until the release bar is pushed out of engagement with the toothed wheel, permitting the clamping arms to move away from the tree trunk under spring bias.
US 2012/0102830 discloses a self-adjusting, self-actuating, and clamping stand for holding vertical objects. The stand includes a base with a platform disposed above the base. The platform supports a container for holding the bottom end of the tree trunk. Three jaws are pivotally secured around the container. The jaws are weighted in a manner that counterbalances them towards their open position. A cable extends around the jaws, as well as engaging the platform. When a tree trunk is placed into the container, it pushes downward on the platform, so that the weight of the tree trunk causes the platform to pull the cable, thereby pulling the jaws inward in order to engage the tree trunk. The entire apparatus can be rotated on a turntable to facilitate decorating the tree.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,704 discloses a stand for pole shaped objects such as Christmas trees. The stand includes a housing having four retaining levers pivotally secured to its top edge. A cable extends around the stands passing through a hole in each of the retaining levers. A clamping device in the form of a foot pedal is used to operate a ratcheting mechanism to wind the cable so that the clamping levers are pulled inward against a tree trunk in order to retain a Christmas tree. A release lever is provided on the clamping device to release the retaining levers. The retaining levers are spring biased towards an outward position, so that upon release of the ratcheting mechanism, they move outward under spring pressure to release the Christmas tree.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,703 discloses a Christmas tree stand. The tree stand includes a flat foot piece with an upwardly extending, generally cylindrical receiving part. A plurality of retaining elements are pivotally secured around the top of the receiving part. A cable extends around the tree stand, passing through holes within the retaining elements, so that tightening the cable pulls the retaining elements inward towards the center of the stand. Each of the retaining elements is spring biased towards the exterior of the stand. A tensioning device is provided for tightening the cable. The cable is attached to the tensioning device through a spring. When the retaining elements are brought up against the tree trunk, the spring permits the retaining elements to be held against the trunk with enough force to hold the tree in position, but not so much force as to prevent adjustments of the position of the tree. Further tightening of the tensioning device then applies full clamping force to the base of the tree.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,341,234 discloses a Christmas tree stand. The Christmas tree stand includes a flat foot part and an upwardly extending, generally cylindrical receiving part. Four retaining elements are hingedly secured around the top of the receiving part. A cable extends around the tree stand, passing through holes in each of the retaining elements, so that tightening the cable pulls the retaining elements towards the central axis of the tree stand. The ends of the cable are secured to the cable drum of a tensioning device. The tensioning device includes a tension lever for rotating the cable drum, and a ratchet wheel connected to the cable drum. A lever catch on the tension lever is biased by a spring towards the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The lever catch engages the ratchet wheel when the tension lever is moved downward, and ratchets to release the ratchet wheel when the tension lever is moved upward. A first catch holds the ratchet wheel in place until released by moving the tension lever towards its uppermost position. Upon the release of the first catch, a second catch engages the ratchet wheel. Upon moving the tension lever to release the second catch, the first catch re-engages the ratchet wheel. The operation of these two catches permits tension to be incrementally released from the tensioning device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,700 discloses a foot support for essentially cylindrical elements. The stand includes a base having a receptacle secured thereto. The receptacle includes three levers pivotally secured thereto. Each lever includes an upper arm for engaging a tree trunk, and a lower arm for engaging an actuating ring that extends around the receptacle. Movement of the actuating ring is controlled by an actuating element in the form of a foot pedal. The foot pedal includes a ratcheting lever that engages a toothed rack. Pushing down on the foot pedal pushes downward on the ring, thereby pushing outward on the lower arms of the levers, pushing the upper arms inward to engage the tree. The ratchet lever and toothed rack hold the foot pedal in place after it has been depressed. Upward pressure on the ratchet lever releases the ratchet mechanism, permitting the levers to pivot so that their upper arms move outward, releasing the tree.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,186 discloses a vertical member support stand. The stand includes a generally cylindrical body having four outwardly extending support legs. Four upper pressure members and four lower pressure members are pivotally secured within the cylindrical body. Each of the pressure members includes a mounting end and a vertical member engaging end. The mounting end includes the mounting aperture and a gear segment along its peripheral edge. The vertical member engaging end has projecting teeth. Locking members are pivotally secured to the tree stand adjacent to the gear segments of the pressure members. Each of the locking members may be pivoted towards an engaged position wherein it engages the gear segment of a pressure member, thereby locking the pressure member in place, and a disengaged position wherein the pressure members are permitted to rotate. When a tree is inserted into the stand, the lower pressure members are pushed downward into engagement with the tree. The upper pressure members are then placed into contact with the tree trunk. The pressure members may then be locked in place.
DE 20 2005 006 285 discloses a Christmas tree stand having a conical holder and supporting legs. The legs extend upward to engage a tree trunk. The lower end of the legs include roller bearings. When a tree is placed in the stand, the weight of the tree causes the legs to spread outward, thereby causing the top of the legs to press against the tree trunk.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,965 discloses a tree stand. The tree stand includes a hemispheric base having a plurality of channels defined therein. Curved legs are retained within each of the channels. The legs are connected to a central reservoir. Placing a tree trunk into the central reservoir pushes down on the central reservoir, thereby pushing the curved legs against the tree trunk. When removal of the trees desired, the tips of the legs can be withdrawn from the trunk by gripping each individually, and pulling them away while the tree is lifted.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,514 discloses a Christmas tree stand. The Christmas tree stand includes a pan to which three pivotally mounted supports are secured. An arm is pivotally secured to the same pivot as each of the supports. Each of the arms includes a threaded fastener that can be manually turned to engage the tree trunk.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,882 discloses a Christmas tree stand cover. The cover includes a plurality of identical arcuate segments, with each segment having a uniform thickness wall and an integral flange for securing the segments together to form joints. Snap fasteners are utilized to secure the flanges together.
Other tree stands include U.S. Pat. No. D590,295, which discloses a Christmas tree stand having multifaceted, flat sides, and U.S. Pat. No. D330,346, which discloses a generally cylindrical Christmas tree stand that is held up by three legs.
As the above descriptions show, many designs rely on various cable mechanisms to secure the object within the stand, which places stress on the cable throughout the entire time during which the object is held, and could potentially result in wear on the cable as it rubs against the cable guides during loosening and tightening of the cable. Some designs require the manipulation of individual fasteners, necessitating two people to install or remove a tree.
Accordingly, there is a need for a stand for Christmas trees and other elongated objects that permits a single person to install and remove the elongated object. There is a further need for a simplified mechanism for retaining the elongated object within the stand. There is an additional need for a mechanism that is simple, durable, and easy to manufacture.